We Didn't Sign at the Office

Everyone has a petition request these days. Two university presidents take a vow against joining the lists.

By

Barry Glassner
And Morton Schapiro

May 6, 2013 7:09 p.m. ET

Sitting in our inboxes and on our desks are two piles of petitions we've received as university presidents. One pile consists of petitions we are being asked to sign; the other contains those telling us what we should or should not do. We aren't signing those in the first group, and we are declining the entreaties requested in the second. Here's why:

As university presidents, seldom does a week go by when we don't receive a petition. The range of topics is broad. Some recent petitions would have us stop all purchases from...